


Betrayal

by Amedia



Category: The Wizard of Oz & Related Fandoms, Tin Man (2007)
Genre: Gen, Gift Fic, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-20
Updated: 2013-10-20
Packaged: 2017-12-29 22:21:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1010800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amedia/pseuds/Amedia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Azkadellia gets lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Betrayal

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on LiveJournal on December 12, 2009, as part of the demilos_wagon commentfic exchange, in response to naturalbluicon's request for "Ambrose/Azkadellia, betrayal."
> 
> Takes place during the flashback scenes in [Behind a Smiling Face](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1010776).

The Sorceress paused in a dark corridor, suddenly lost. 

The Witch had wanted to stroll through the dungeons, something she seemed to enjoy particularly, but Azkadellia hadn't learned her way around very well, and the Witch wasn't any help. She started down a familiar-seeming corridor and stopped when she suddenly heard a genuinely familiar voice.

"Azkadellia." The voice was hoarse, barely recognizable, but she would have known it anywhere. It was a voice whose every word she had once cherished with the foolish misplaced affection of a lovesick teenager. It was a voice that had rejected her offer of marriage with a kindness that burned like ice in her memory. It was a voice to which, she reminded herself harshly, her adult self was now immune.

She peered into the dimly-lit cell and saw Ambrose sitting on his cot, dressed in the torn and dirty remnants of his court finery. Heavy bruising obscured his features, and he was cradling one arm as if it were broken. "Azkadellia," he repeated. "Don't do it."

"Don't do what?" she asked in a tone meant to be light and mocking. She heard her voice come out, high and strained.

"You know," he said, rocking forward slightly and wincing as the movement brought pain. Azkadellia fought down the spark of compassion that tried to surface, struggling to replace it with contempt. Ambrose caught his breath and continued. "Don't take my brain."

"How do you know about that?" she asked sharply.

"Raynz told me."

Fury whipped through her. "He was ordered not to speak of this to anyone. Anyone!"

"I knew him long before you did, Sorceress," said Ambrose. "Old loyalties die hard. He may be your creature now, but he has some shards of humanity left." 

"He won't when I'm through with him," said Azkadellia. She felt the Witch's approval of her ruthless anger. "Tell me the way out of here," she commanded.

"I'm sorry, Azkadellia," Ambrose said in that gentle tone that chilled her once more. "You'll have to find your own way."


End file.
